MUST RANT!!!My company (bless 'em for it) pays for cabs at night to get employees home safe - or at least to the nearest subway station.Tonight, I called for my cab at 5 to 12 like I always do when working nights. I gave them the details, like I always do: side security door, not on account - cash. Then, I went to the side security entrance to wait...and wait...and wait. At 12:30, Drew, the security guard called the cab company to ask if my car had been sent. He told the dispatcher the details; cab called for at 5 to 12, side security door, not on account - cash. He was informed that because I am not on account, I am at the bottom of the list. All fares on account are taken care of first, then cash fares. If someone from the same address were to call in the next couple of minutes and say it was on account, they would have a bit of a wait but their car would still arrive before mine. So Drew says, in disgust: "Send her a car, man. It's on account." The cab arrived 10 minutes later and I paid with the voucher Drew has given me.

Un-fucking-believable!!!! Our company has being doing business with this cab company (not to name names *cough Royal cough*) since well before I arrived there and they consistently screw up calls, arrive really late (we now know why!) and generally make the employees' lives miserable. What difference does it make if it is cash or on account? It is the same address, the employees work for the same business, the fares paid should be the same amount whether cash or on account. I have taken my last cab ride with that company. I now have the number for a couple of other cab companys and should be just as easily reimbursed when I show the receipt. ·1:41 AM : 2 comments

December 11, 2003

As I sit here at work, eating my entirely too healthy salad with a bare minimum of dressing, I am thinking... Mom has sent me money to pick up a Christmas gift so I was thinking of using it to buy a fondue kit. Would the Usual Suspects be interested in gathering for a Christmas cookie/chocolate fondue feast? I would make about a dozen different types of cookies, brew up a big ol' pot of chocolate fondue, cut up tasty bits for dipping and serve various festive beverages (with or sans alcohol)Looking at the date (MY GOD, Christmas is that close!!) it would have to be held either Sunday, December 21st or after Christmas, on January 4 or 5th. So, take a look at your calendars and see what is good for you and let me know. If the response is positive, I will firm up details and send out the invites.·8:29 PM : 8 comments

On Saturday, I got to see a friend I haven't seen in a year - since I left Montreal. She was travelling by train to visit relatives in Kitchener but arranged for her cousin to pick her up here in Toronto so she could see me. We spent a few hours chatting, had a meal at the vegetarian Vietnamese restaurant that Josie introduce me to, and then walked back to the train station to meet her cousin.

It was amazing how nice it was to see her and it was amazing how good it made me feel to know she took some effort to see me. She is the only person at the Montreal station who is in anything resembling regular contact with me. She kept telling me how good I looked. I guess the misery I felt in Montreal (which must have come off me in waves) has been purged, erasing the permant scowl from my features. I do feel worlds better than I did at the best of times in Montreal. ·1:22 AM : 1 comment

December 10, 2003

Working in TV news can be really, really depressing. I have exposure to a lot of pain and suffering that I do want to be aware of but not actually see, if that makes any sense. On Monday, I had to see, again and again, the shock and horror of the North York ESL students. Last night, we covered a terribly sad story out of the Maritimes. Sometimes I just want to walk out of the control room, lock myself in a cubicle and cry my eyes out.

1:12am - It has now been revealed by police that the man who died at the Uptown probably did so while shielding a 10-year-old boy from the falling debris. ·2:12 PM : 1 comment

December 7, 2003

I am about to head to bed after a very, very long day. Toast woke me up at the crack of noon because we had to go experience pure Hell: Christmas shopping. I hate shopping at the best of times but now.... 7 1/2 hours later we were home with most of the purchases for my family that are out of province - we still have to pick up 1 thing before I can ship the lot off to Nova Scotia. Then, I get to concentrate on Toast and my (thankful few) family members in Toronto.

Last night was the GTA Blogger Christmas party. If you weren't there, you should have been. Conspicuously missing: Chris and Jen. We missed you guys! The new people I met were really nice and easy to make party small talk with but there was 1 or 2 exceptions. (Liz, next time we see her, should we form a line to bitchslap her? I owe her for her behaviour to Toast) Unfortunately, I did not get to speak with everyone I wanted to and some people just left too early.

For the first time, I saw Joey play the accordian. For some reason, I have usually left before he brings it out. This time, I was there for the Brittany and the Steppenwolf.

Yay! The cookies were a hit! I so love seeing people enjoying my cooking. I will joyfully cook for anyone who tells me they like the food I prepared. Carla's John is welcome to dinner any day of the week. What a nice man.

Must note: 1. Emma and Graig arrived late having come from a swanky do at the R.O.M and WOW! Emma looked fabulous. The dress and the shoes gave me girly-girly envy. I should try dressing up once in a while - no, wait, that would involve *shudder* shopping first. Graig looked very dapper too. Until he put on Joey's long hair wig. Then, he looked...you will have to look at the pictures (when Rannie posts them) and see for yourself.